Winemaker Notes
The exceptional 2019 growing season yielded a profoundly elegant and complex expression of The Discussion, with luxurious layers of black plum, red currant and raspberry. As it evolves in the glass, hints of cedar, sweet baking spices and cocoa nibs emerge on the generous palate, gliding across velvety tannins to a lively and dramatic finish.
Blend: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Currants, herbs and fresh tobacco with shaved lead pencil. Black berries. Medium to full body with creamy tannins and a juicy finish. Just a hint of oak. Rich and long with lots going on. Plenty of flavor.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: In a world of Bordeaux Red Blends, The Discussion has emerged as one of the world's most important wines. The 2019 vintage is a majestic wine with excellent obvious, and subtle notes. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of savory spices, black fruit, oaky notes, licorice, and other hard-to-pin-to-down nuances. Give this ten years in the cellar before pulling the cork. (Tasted: May 20, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 The Discussion brings another level of refinement and elegance, with pure red and blackcurrant fruits supported by leafy herbs, coffee, and charred oak-like aromas and flavors, with a slightly herbal undertone. It's medium to full-bodied, has a supple, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and outstanding length. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12+ years or so.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.